Never can go back, can only go forward
by Her sister's keeper
Summary: When Headmaster Cross adopts Miki, a quiet, insecure vampire-hunting progidy with a past linked to Zero, how will he handle it? Will Miki and Zero discover feelings that can't be taken back, but only moved forward? R&r! I own nothing!ZeroxOcxRido/Shiki
1. Reunited

Never can go back, Can only go forward.

"Mr. Cross?"

The wizened old woman asked, peering at the young 30-something year old man with interest through her bifocals. His head jerked up as if he had been sleeping. She smiled at him. "Miki is ready to meet you now."

As they climbed the stairs up to her room of the orphanage, the lady, Takamichi,

declared, "I'm so glad that you are adopting Miki. She's almost a young lady now, soon to be 15, I believe. She's needed a family for such a long time. She is so lucky to be left by that pureblood vampire 7 years ago, although her parents weren't so lucky…"

Headmaster Cross nodded, filled with sympathy. "But is it true? That her parents were turned into Level E vampires, forcing her to kill her own mother and father?" He asked.

She drew a shuddering breath before she answered. "Yes, it is. But please don't bring it up. She still regrets what she did. And," she turned to him, her eyes filled with interest, "I believe that Miki studied to be a vampire hunter with the Kiryu children. Zero and Ichiru. There's even a rumor that Ichiru and her were engaged so that the two most powerful hunter families could be joined. But then it was broken off when they learned of what happened to the Kiryus." Mr. Cross gulped. "Do you think that Miki will remind Zero?" He asked, hesitantly. laughed. "Heavens, no! Miki put a seal on his memories to make him forget her! But…It is possible that the seal could break. Miki was only strong enough to put a seal on him. She doesn't know how strong it is." He nodded, a bit relieved. And by now, they had reached the top of the stairs.

"Miki! Come meet your new father!" called.

The young girl who had been sitting on the bed and staring out the window when they had entered was now in Mr. Cross's arms. "Hello Father! I'm so glad you're here!" She murmured quietly. He smiled down at her. "Ready to go home?" he asked. She nodded before asking, "Can I be alone for a minute? I got to tell Mama and Papa." Once she was in solitude again, Miki ran to the window and laughed into the small ray of sunshine that was creeping through. "Mama! Papa! I'm starting a new life now!"

Ch.1- The New Cross.

Yuki Cross looked at her dad, Kaien Cross, in confusion. _It's not often that I'm pulled out of class early._ She thought, biting her lip nervously. Her father smiled. "Yuki, there's someone I want you to meet." He said excitedly. She sweat dropped. "You're getting married, Dad?" She asked, amazed that **someone** was **actually** attracted to his eccentric behavior. It was his turn to sweat drop. "No. I decided to give you something that you always wanted… A little sister!" He declared, flinging the door to his left open. Yuki regarded it with interest. "My new sister is a mop?" She asked, looking into the custodial closet instead of the sitting room. "Whoops!" Yuki smiled at her father's mistake before crossing the room and opening the door to his right. Her dad gasped: "Miki is gone!"

"Excuse me!" A soft voice murmured from behind Zero Kiryu. He glanced over, just about to put his last book on one of the library's shelves. A small teenaged girl stared back, her expression caught between surprised and confused. She looked so much like Yuki, besides her hair length, eye color and her personality. And Zero only knew this from a brief observation.

Zero knew by the way Yuki carried herself and how she talked that she was a confident, honest, determined and experienced girl who knew right from wrong. This girl, on the other hand, probably tripped over her own feet or at least air, and when she wasn't being clumsy, she walked on tiptoe or at least she stepped lightly. She also talked softly and if she raised her voice, Zero had a hunch that she'd probably lose her voice or she would start to stutter. And unless he was mistaken, this girl standing before him wasn't anything like Yuki or any girl he had ever seen!

"Um… Excuse me?" she murmured again, making him snap back to reality. "Sorry-what do you need help with?" He asked, trying to regain his composure. She smiled apologetically at him. "Do you happen to know where the classic English Literature is?" She asked, her clear blue eyes staring intently at him. Her gaze was captivating, but he forced his gaze to his feet. "Err… me." He told her. _She must think I'm a jerk!_ He declared to himself as he led her to the very back of the library, stealing glances at her, again and again.

From what he could see so far, she was very sweet, but shy and smart, considering her book choice. But she was also a bit mysterious and she appeared to be innocent … So innocent that it seemed that if she had been Eve in the garden, long ago, that she would have never plucked the fruit off of the Tree of Knowledge… That she knew of only good. But something else told Zero that she had seen her fair share of life and its consequences.

Zero was disappointed to reach the back corner so soon, but seeing this girl's eyes light up was a nice consolation prize that brought him an unexpected pleasure. "Oh, thank you! I've been wandering around here all evening and for some reason, I never could find it!" She turned away from him and stood on her toes to pick out her book. While she did, Zero nearly kicked himself for staring at this obvious new girl like a codfish. With her goal accomplished, the young lady turned to him, smiling. "Thanks again, um… I'm sorry, but I never got your name. What is it?" She asked. Zero was taken aback for a moment, surprised that she hadn't noticed him staring at her like a fish. When he didn't answer, she giggled nervously. "I'm sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. How rude of me… My name is Miki Cross. It's a pleasure to meet you." Zero finally shook himself out of la-la land enough to answer her. "I'm Zero Kiryu." He said, brushing strands of silver-white hair from his gray eyes.

To his surprise, Miki stepped closer to him, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Is something wrong?" He asked, wanting to step away, but his feet seemed rooted into the floor when her azure eyes gazed into his. "Kiryu…Kiryu…Ichiru and Zero…" She whispered, her pale slender hand somehow on his cheek, almost forcing him to look at her. Zero pulled back in surprise._ How does she know my brother's name? That's impossible! _He shouted in his head. Suddenly, hot tears streaked down Miki's cheeks, her eyes frozen with shock, sadness and a bit of happiness. "I'm sorry…Forgive me, please!" She begged, her hand slipping off his face, leaving him ice-cold again, as she ran, her book dropping out of her arms with a heavy _thud._ She was out of the door when Zero finally regained his senses. "W-w-wait! Cross-San! You dropped your book!" He exclaimed, scooping it up as he ran after her. She ran the whole way to the Headmaster's quarters, and Zero nearly caught up with her before she slipped in. Zero threw the doors open to see her lounged on the couch, quickly drifting off to sleep.

"Headmaster!" Zero said, surprised as Kaien Cross stepped into the room, a blanket and hot tea balanced in his arms. "Shhhh…. Don't wake her up, Zero. She needs her sleep after her little shock. Or whatever she just described to me." Kaien said affectionately, smoothing Miki's long brunette waves as he finished draping the blanket over her small frame. Zero looked at him, worried about Miki under this scatterbrained pacifist of a headmaster's care. Mr. Cross saw Zero's expression, obviously, because he defended himself by saying: "What?! I like Miki- she's so sweet and gentle and quietly enthused that's she's automatically lovable! And she looks like Yuki when she was younger!" Zero eyed him with pain as he murmured, "In short, everything that I'm not?" Kaien began chuckling just as Yuki walked in and spied Miki on the couch. "Is this her? Oh my gosh! She is so cute!" She squealed as she walked over to the couch and began to squeeze Miki's cheeks, declaring proudly: "You look like a Mimi-Chan, so I shall call you Mimi-Chan and I shall be your Yuyu-chan and you will be mine! Daddy, can we keep her?" Yuki asked, turning towards him. "Um… Yuki…She's already part of-…" He went to respond before Yuki interrupted: "I promise to feed her and take super good care of her everyday! So can I keep her please!?" She begged. Kaien shrugged as he said, "Sure." Yuki squealed happily as she hugged her new sister, despite the worried glances from Zero and her dad.


	2. Poetic prophecy

'_What is this feeling? It feels as if something inside me is waking up…Is it an emotion, or my dormant side that shouldn't be alive at all? Dear God in heaven, to whom I have promised my faith, be my salvation. Save me from myself. Let me atone for my sins. Let me live._'

Miki prayed as she slipped into sleep, hearing the door open and seeing _his _face before sleep conquered her.

Dawn's light shone faintly through the window when she opened her eyes again. She ran up the stairs to her room, dropping the blanket she had been clutching up until that moment. Pulling on her uniform, Miki peeked at herself in the mirror. "Oh." She mumbled in surprise as the face of her mother peered back at her. Draping her small tarnished silver rosary around her neck, Miki grabbed her schoolbooks and ran down the stairs, nearly flying to the bottom of them when she tripped on the blanket.

She was about to make her journey to the cafeteria before she spied the book she had gotten from the library. Picking it up, she scanned the black cover, even though she had practically memorized it. _"Romeo and Juliet" _was written in gold letters on the book's spine and front. Miki opened it up to random pages, reading the first lines her eyes met.

_**Tybalt**__- What, drawn and talk of peace! I hate the word, as I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee._

She flipped to the middle of the book now, wondering why she was even doing this.

_**Friar Laurence**__- These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which, as they kiss, consume._

She was now quickly flicking past pages, going back and forth, from beginning to end, sometimes revisiting pages.

_**Juliet**__- My only love sprung from my only hate!_

_Too early seen unknown and known too late!_

_Prodigious birth of love is to me_

_That I must love a loathed enemy!_

_**Mercutio**__- A plague o' both your houses!_

_**Juliet**__- Oh God! I have an ill-divining soul!_

_Methinks I see thee, now art below,_

_As one dead in a the bottom of a tomb;_

_Either my eyesight fails or thou look'st pale._

_**Romeo**__- And trust me, love in my eye so do you. Dry sorrow drinks our blood!_

_**Juliet-**__ O happy dagger! This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die._

Miki spared a last glance to the page, reading a line of Romeo's:

_Shall I believe that unsubstantial Death is amorous, and that the lean abhorred monster keeps thee here in dark to be his paramour?_

A shiver crept up Miki's spine, intuition telling her that these lines would someday be repeated to her as a threat or as a prophecy, waiting to be unleashed. She ignored her insight, stepping into the sun's rays, anxiety gnawing at her empty stomach.

* * *

Author's note- yay! Ch.2 is up! WHOOP!!

All "Romeo and Juliet" quotes are owned and written by William Shakespeare.  
Not me.


	3. Sickness

Miki stood at the kitchen sink, her knuckles white due to how hard she gripped the sides of it, hoping she wouldn't lose it all. Gasping for air as her pale forehead gained a sheen of sweat, she thought back to what had lead her to stand at the sink, praying she wouldn't vomit…

"Cross-san; I need to talk to you."

Miki looked up, as did the crowd that had gathered around her, from her book and at Zero. "Z-zero-san! What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in class!" She gasped, Zero rolling his eyes in annoyance as the girls around Miki started to giggle. Grabbing her hand and pulling her out of her seat, Zero pulled Miki out of class, ignoring the shouts of "Kiryu!Cross! Get back here!" that the teacher yelled.

By the time they were out to the stables, Miki's face was flushed from worry. _What's going on? Is he curious about yesterday? Or does he want to know…how I know him? Oh, God, please let that not be the cause…_ She thought as Zero finally let her arm go, walking over to a hay bale and grabbing a pitch fork and a shovel and began to clean White Lily's stall. "Horses…" Miki whispered, sighing in dismay, "It had to be horses!" Zero shot her a look consisting of a frown and a raised eyebrow. "What did you need, Zero-san?" Miki asked softly, approaching White Lily carefully after remembering that her true scent was masked. Zero gave her a long look before looking away, saying, "How do you know me?"

"I know you as the unofficial foster son of the Headmaster…" "Not like that; how did you know me before this?"

"W-what do you mean?" She asked shakily as he replied, "You must have known me before, to know my brother's name."

"Oh…yes…I…do…know you…You see," Miki said, dipping her head to hide her face with her hair, "I was adopted by the Souki hunter clan when I was three and I met you a few times at school and hunter meeting. But I got to know you and your family better when Toga Yagari began to tutor all three of us in the ways of vampire hunting. And then…" She gulped before whispering, "Shizuka Hio attacked your family and my foster parents had been hiding that they had been bitten by a pureblood and so…I had to …kill…them…and after that, I ran to your house and saw Shizuka and Ichiru leaving … I went to you immediately, to see if you were alive…and you were…so weak and fragile, but then you started….to cry…and I did too. And…I ran away from you…and to Sensei…and I haven't seen you until now…"Zero put the pitch fork down and sat besides Miki on her hay bale, both of them looking at their feet. "I see…"He finally murmured.

Miki said nothing, wishing that she could tell him more, wishing that he could remember her for himself. But she knew he couldn't- she had made it so. Her guilt made her stomach lurch and she bolted up, running for the headmaster's quarters.

**…...**

Miki gasped again, retching in the sink, feeling ashamed as Kaien came through the swinging kitchen door, asking, "It happened again, didn't it?" The nausea finally passed as Miki turned and leaned against the counter. "My past won't leave me be…" She whispered, shaking out two blood tablets and popping them into her mouth swallowing them whole, whispering, "I told him everything I could…I tried not to tell him anything that could break the memory seal…It was so hard! While he didn't even have a drop of memories of me, I was drowning in my memories of him! I hate myself!" Kaien handed her a cup of water and some more blood tablets, sighing, "Your other side is reawakening…Shall I home school you so you don't have these memory attacks…or shall you transfer to the other class?"

"No! I won't! I need to get stronger- this may be the only way to earn my strength." She replied, jaw clenched, hands in fists, resolving then to spend time with Zero, knowing that it was whenever he was around did she suffer. _I will get stronger! I owe it to Zero in the first place!_ She declared silently, her goal now set.

* * *

Finally! I finally got the chance to post this! YAY YAY YAY!


	4. As always

"I'd like to be a prefect, Headmaster."\

Miki stared across the desk at her foster father, her eyes having a determined glint in her eyes as she waited for his response, which came as him spitting his tea in surprise onto the floor. He looked at her, eyes wide behind his glasses as he stuttered, "But we aren't sure you'll be able to handle it! Wait until you have a grasp on it and then maybe..."

"No." Miki brushed her hair back, out of her face, her wavy strands annoying her as she muttered, "I won't be able to get a rein on it if I go on with living like this- isolated and undisturbed by the symptoms, when it should be the opposite. It's either that I get to do this, or I go out on a hunt by myself. The choice is yours, Father. Choose, or I will for myself." She swallowed, her brave front being marred by her trembling hands as she waited for his decision. Kaien opened his mouth to speak, sighed and took off his spectacles, wiping them with a handkerchief, thinking. "I think it's wisest if you stay away from the hunt but-" At that moment, his desk's telephone started to ring, and Mr. Cross reluctantly answered it. "Hello?"

"It's me, Cross." Toga Yagari growled back, causing the headmaster to nearly drop the phone in surprise. "Is Kiryu there? Or your newest daughter, Miki? We have a level E vampire loose in town. If they're available, they are needed."

"I'll see if Zero is available, but Miki is not allowed to hunt, Yagari. Her vampiric side..."

"Vampiric side, my ass. She's stronger because of it. Don't talk about it as if it's a deadly disease. We need her out in the field NOW, Cross." And with that, Yagari hung up on the frazzled caretaker.

The headmaster turned to his young ward, his jaw dropping when he saw that she was pulling on her combat boots that went up to her knees and that she already had her coat on, and her weapon holstered. She looked up from lacing them and smiled sweetly as she said, "Don't worry, I'll be good, Daddy. I'm just going to meet up with Zero and then we're going to take the vampire down, ok?" She exclaimed as if she had instead said that she was just going to catch a movie with her best friend. "I'll be back before curfew! Bye!" Miki exclaimed, running to the window and yanking it open, not listening to her father's attempts at protesting as she jumped through it, literally hitting the ground running.

Zero stood in the alleyway, waiting. Watching. "I know you're here..." He muttered irritably. The hunt would've soothed him a bit if it hadn't been for his mind wandering to one subject, and one alone- Miki. He didn't like it- not because he didn't like her, but because of the strange aura surrounding her- she was mysterious, and new. He had never seen such a strange girl, and had understood her in a way even he couldn't comprehend. He felt as if he knew her from somewhere, he just didn't know how, or where. This would've irked Zero on a normal day, but he had felt calm about it...until now. Now, when he had to do something important, when he had to purge the world of a greedy soul that lusted for blood as he did now. He swallowed hard, realizing how dry his mouth was. So dry, like powder... the tablets weren't cutting it...

"Is that you, Zero?" Miki called from the distance, walking up to him from behind, biting her lip as she smelled something metallic, like iron. She stiffened, as did Zero, as both realized what that scent was- blood. "I sense him... he's two alleys away, with a victim." She whispered, eyes closed as Zero nodded, bolting ahead of her. He looked to his left and saw that Miki could keep up with him, something that he hadn't expected, but he shrugged it off for now, despite his suspicion as she kept in step, racing ahead of him at some points.

They both braked to a stop as they sensed the target, upholstering their chosen weapons in one quick, smooth sweep- his weapon being his Bloody Mary Rose gun, her's being the Minerva crossbow, which she had acquired as a gift at her hunter's initiation ceremony. "Do you see him?" Miki whispered, her long, thin fingers wrapping around the arrow she was just pulling out of the quiver slung on her shoulder. Zero shook his head as he fingered the trigger, itching to shoot something as he whispered back, "But I can sense him...He thinks this is a game." Miki smiled and nodded, hoping that Zero couldn't see that the smile was fake as she suffered silently through the stench of blood that sent her stomach churning and growling, despite the full dinner she had eaten just an hour before, hoping that he didn't notice that she was holding herself back, that she was remaining silent about the truth that he wanted to know. Not _now...he can't know right now...He can't ever know...ever..._ She pleaded with herself, oblivious to the growing presence of the looming danger.

"MIKI!" Zero shouted to her, snapping her out of her thoughts as the level E showed his ugly face, dropping in on Miki from above. Her reflexes snapped in automatically, and she evaded the attack, but with the price of her face getting a scratch that now bled and she leveled her crossbow, glaring as she tried to get the perfect shot lined up. But then she made the mistake of looking into the vampire's eyes. Her own blue eyes widened as she realized what this vampire was- he was just a boy, a confused boy, who only knew that he had to do this to survive, that he had no other choice. His soul had been taken...much like how her's would be captured as she herself became a predator. Her crossbow lowered as she kept staring, frozen, and unable to move as she held the target's gaze. "Don't just stand there...Do something!" Zero yelled as aimed his gun and fired, his shot being accurate and lethal- the threat now crumpled into dust, gratitude and sadness mixing and mingling as he kept staring up at Miki until he no longer could. Miki only stood and watched, too shocked to notice that as the bullet had whizzed by, it had pained her slightly.\

Zero looked at her, face solemn as she collapsed onto her knees, into the pile of dust that once made up the victim, not the threat- the victim had been transformed...and then killed...Miki glanced up at Zero, whispering, "That was a mistake. He wasn't the one we were supposed to kill...We're dealing with a smart predator, Zero- not a crazed one." Zero understood what she meant immediately, but he said nothing as he watched her take an arrow and use it to swirl the dust into the freshly fallen snow, breaking it into two and making a crude cross before crossing herself, whispering a prayer in Latin, standing as she whispered the final blessing. "We need to go after him." Zero raised an eyebrow at Miki, who wouldn't face him when she uttered the words. She turned to him, tears glittering as she gasped out, "We need to, Zero. Please."\

"No." Miki gaped at him as he whispered, "You can't do this- you're affected by it. Besides, you're hurt." "I'm fine! If we let it loose, there will be more victims...and it will be our fault. If you aren't-I will." She replied coldly, something that Zero found surprising. "Wait!" Zero yelled after her as Miki turned and ran from him, her senses urging her forward, as well as her rage at Zero- and at what she had realized she would become. "That won't happen!" She hissed to herself, digging her feet into the gravel as she screeched to a halt in a dead-end alley. She was ready to take care of the problem. She was ready as she loaded her bow.

The only thing she was not ready for was the ambush.

She heard the creaking of wood overhead and she smelled the creature's foul breath before she actually saw the monster. Grotesque, gruesome, horrifying- these words only skimmed the surface of the atrocity that, literally, dropped from the sky. She dove out of the way, saving all but her foot from getting crushed by the vampire's weight. She winced, and yet glared at her damage, and now the thing she owed a fatal debt to.

"Scum." She hissed, ignoring the hoarse laughter that sprung forth from the monster's throat as he surveyed his new prey. All mirth that this Level End creature of the night once possessed disappeared with the whizzing of an arrow, something fired from the leveled crossbow in Miki's hands, something now being reloaded.

The weapon was now skittering across the concrete ground of the alley as it was backhanded out of her arms. She gaped in horror, before baring her teeth. _I'd give anything for my fangs right now..._ She thought before condemning herself with harsh scolding.

_Now is NOT the time for this crap!_

Her now captor, for having a hulking deformed body, sauntered towards her with the grace of a young, lithe, gorgeous man. This is what he was transforming into as his steps towards her increased.

Miki's eyes, in their wide-eyed innocent beauty, regained a look of resignation and experienced coldness as the man now knelt before her, smirking, holding her chin in his tight grasp as he looked her over with an appraising eye, as always.

Rido Kuran.

"Well, well, well... We meet again, little Souki." He laughed at her as she tried to bite him, nipping only his sleeve as he pulled his arm away. "Looks like my little tainted rose is hungry...Craving master's blood again, little Miki?"

She glared at him, at her creator, per se. At least, the one who had found her and had known what she truly was had placed the timer on this ticking vampiric bomb. Still, it was HIS blood she craved, sought for for so many months, she swore she was going through withdrawals.

They say that vampires crave the blood of their loves. Whether Miki's bond with Rido was a testament or not was to be decided. She hated this man, and yet there was something about him that sent her over the edge, an attraction of some sort. If she had a mother, Mumsie would be warning her to stay away from older, wicked men like Rido. And yet here she was, pleading with her eyes to fulfill her in the way he only could, in a perverse way. He smirked and brushed his lips to her throat.

"My turn to feed right now, dear. Your turn will come soon, I promise, darling."

Miki hissed and pushed him away, pointing to her foot, her eyes declaring that she needed payment for the mistake he had wrought upon her that time.

Not for the original sin he had committed. She still shuddered and yet licked her lips as she thought of the blood that had been shed that night.

She was saved from Rido's company for a second longer by shouts and the thuds of nearing footsteps. In moments, Rido was gone, a thin mist in his place, a mist that enveloped Miki and whispered in her ear seductively, as always. "I'll be back, dear."

She gritted her teeth as she finally felt the pain her foot was in, as well as the sickening nausea that pitted in her stomach as she sniffed in the scent he had left.

As always.

Miki couldn't remember the last time relief had washed over her, but she felt herself cleansed with it when Zero came sprinting into view, as well as some other strangers.

No, not strangers.

Old comrades, potential comrades... her key to freedom from her tantalizing parasitic sin?

Ah, yes she knew them... her dear, beloved comrades.

Kaname Kuran...Senri Shiki... faces from her past.

She fainted cold and dead away before Zero could take her into his arms to carry her to safety, the shock and fear was so great.


	5. Blood lust

Miki stared at the cieling of the infirmiry, trying to remember how-why- she was here, wondering who had brought her could only remember the shock of seeing Rido, and then the shock of seeing his nephew and son... but surely the shock wasn't enough to make her faint... was it? She knew how frail she was without blood- the real thing, not the pathetic tablet- but still...

She was tired and to comfortable to be staying awake-she was practically swaddled in blankets and her nightgown. She was just too comfortable- she wanted to stay awake,to see what would happen next, but the minutes ticked by with only a monotiny of silence and limited movement- her limbs felt heavy and every few seconds, her eyes drooped, eyelids and lashes fluttering before being forced open again in terror. An image had painted itself on the inside of her brain; whenever she closed her eyes, it was as if she was looking at a sadistic, gory art gallery, hot metallic blood practically oozing from the picture frames and lapping like ocean waves at her feet.

Hot, sweet, metallic blood. The very thing she craved at this moment, more than she ever desired anything.

She now clutched at het throat. When did it get so dry? So parched? It was almost uncomfortable. She licked her lips, hoping to get moisture, running her dry tongue over her teeth. "Ow.." She mumbled, shocked as she licked her incisors again. They were longer now; sharper. Tiny needles in her mouth- tiny, deadly needles. She closed her mouth, hoping to hide the fact from herself, now willingly letting her eyes close, too scared now of what she could do when she was awake to care about what could happen when she slept...

_"Where am I? How did I get here? Is anyone else here? Hello?" Miki heard herself calling out, but when she tried to raise her voice, it only got softer. Ice like sensations pinned her limbs in place, leaving her frozen and standing- standing? When had that happened? Why wasn't she in the infirmiry?- in the hallway. She didn't recollect ever being in this hallway- there was no classrooms; it wasn't the hall leading to the infirmiry, nor was it the headmaster's quarters. _

_Where was she? Surely, this had to be a dream. That was the only logic behind opened one of the doors, trying to prove her point- this hallway was filled with them, ornate as all the doors were at this academy- no way to tell where she was by the doors. She poked her head into the room, and her heart dropped to her feet in shock, color draining from her face as she saw the male occupant and his roommate asleep._

_She was in the guy dorms._

_"Why am I here?" She gasped, feeling her fangs come into her attention; her tongue was licking them preparing them for a feast. Miki knew the reason why now as the ravenous hunger came back, gnawing at her gut with a vegenance, mocking her, tempting her. She warned herself against the urge, but soon found her feet moving towards the bed where the poor hapless victim lay asleep- and she wasn't resisting against the force driving her to this extreme. _

_Walking quietly to the bedside, she seated herself besides the unconscious figure, rolling him over to where he no longer laid on his side; he now laid on his back, head tilted back, throat exposed. Her mouth watered as she surveyed the creamy skin on the youth;her lips now curved into a sensual smirk. Miki didn't understand why she suddenly was thinking of what the sin she was about to commit was often linked to- or was a symbol for._

_ She crossed her legs, her skirt riding up, her sleeves falling off of her shoulder as she leaned close to the poor boy's face, placing kisses on him, waiting for him to wake up, to show him the succubus that had been awaken in a blood lust. Oh, Rido would've enjoyed this- he had once mentioned, casually, after a feeding, how much of a potential lascivious vampiress she would be, and how much he would like to see that. She had a feeling that he was watching as the window blew open behind her, and a breeze wafted in, as well as a mist. More of a smoke._

_No! He wouldn't distract her from her feeding. Miki turned towards her prey, who was stirring. Sleep hazed mindset at this point, the young man looked at her with glazed eyes, as if he couldn't believe his luck. "This has to be the best wet dream ever..." Miki swallowed a guttural sound of disgust that formed in her throat, knowing that he was only a human. A stupid human. Let him think what he pleased; just as long as his blood was warm and sweet._

_She lowered her mouth to his throat and prepared to bite..._

Zero laid in his bed, half asleep, the only thing keeping him from his deserved and earned sleep being a restless mind. He had seen Miki that evening. He had seen her convulsions, her unconcious panic, had seen Kaname and Shiki with their reactions, both shocked and yet grim, as if they knew this would happen.

"She's waking up." Kaname had murmured, Shiki nodding in agreement as Kaname kissed her hand. Zero hadn't understood what Kuran meant by that- it was obvious that Miki had been out cold, that she wasn't close to waking up. And Kaname had pissed him off as it was, showing up out of the blue, and then picking up Miki before Zero could lay a hand on her, speaking of her as if he knew exactly what he was talking about. But what irked him was the dirty pureblood touching his tainted lips to her sinless skin.

At least, he thought it was sinless.

At that moment, he felt a familar ping in the back of his head, his hunter instinct kicking in as he sensed an intruder within the male dorms. He found it odd that a vampire would target these dorms versus the female dorms- after all, it was mainly male Night class students that went on the prowl. He shrugged the thought off as he leapt from bed, at his door in a flash, yanking it open before sprinting down the hall, feeling the emotion that overcame him as he got close to his target grow as he came to the door of one of his classmates.

He found the door cracked, and he nudged it the rest of the way open with his foot as he pulled his gun from his holster. He swiftly and silently manuevered his way into the room, expecting the vampire to be prepared to fight, ready to defend itself- but no. The sight he saw shocked him; shook and shattered all the things he knew to be true, what he had expected.

One of his classmates was sprawled on his bed, pale and panting, smiling dreamily, throat exposed, and pinprick marks adorning them. Zero glanced at the bed across the dorm and felt his mouth fall agape in uncharacteristic shock as he saw the predator still feeding. She looked up at him, blood dripping from her chin, white nightgown raked up to her thighs, sleeves falling around her shoulders in pools, black hair tangled and matted with drying blood, eyes black with an unquenched hunger.

It was because of this unquenched thirst did Miki Cross, sweetly innocent turned wanton, cross the room to him quicker than he could blink, and sank her fangs into his wrist as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Zero gasped, trying to throw her off of him, but he couldn't as an icy warmth came coursing through his veins, as if she was trying to replace his stolen blood with something else to keep him alive- his memories of her. His real ones, not the forged and fraud-ridden implanted ones. He convulsed at the shock of it all, hearing Miki's appreciative moans as his sweet blood moistened her tongue as if she was miles away, seeing her in her beautiful and yet terrifying state in a haze, feeling unsteady and ready to fall.

It wasn't him that fell though. It was Miki who fell into him with sheer exhaustion, feeling drained and yet satisfied- a burden was lifted, and she was gorged of her desire.

But she knew that because of her taking Zero as her prey despite him being a vampire as well, they now had a bond- she wanted his blood. And only his. She smiled, knowing that Rido realized that as well- he had seen this forbidden "tryst". She was still his- they were still bonded; but she no longer desired his blood for her survival, although he depended on her blood to live. She wanted someone else's- a lowly potential Level E vampire, no less. Deja vu for Rido- betrayed twice over.

Miki frowned, realizing what would happen to her precious prey now. She wouldn't let Zero be killed. She curled her arms around him possesively and protectively, snarling into the night as she saw through her lashes that the smoke was filtering from the room, and a sneering hiss was faintly heard.

"He is mine. Only mine."


	6. Urges and protection

Sunlight came creeping through the closed curtains as Miki slowly opened her eyes. She moaned in pain, looking down at her foot- the one that had been crushed during her run in with Rido. The basterd. Miki gritted her teeth before focusing on her foot again, gasping. It looked as if it had never been broken.

It wasn't deformed, wasn't twisted in a perverse shape. The skin was unbroken, the bones felt whole. If she hadn't known better, she'd swore that she hadn't had her foot hurt. She wriggled her toes, bending her foot, delighted as she giggled and clapped her hands together, as she sat there in bed.

"Wounds like that usually heal up pretty quick after feeding." A voice casually- but frigidly- informed her. Miki's blue eyes snapped up as she saw who was addressing her. Zero. Sitting dejectedly in a corner, his chair facing the wrong way as he leaned on the back of it, almost sulking, save for the resentment in his eyes. Oh, that burning resentment. Miki felt tears stinging her eyes, hurt that he was looking at her the way he was.

She brushed the salty body fluid as she realized that he had ever right to glare at her. Of course she deserved the look- she had taken him, a free, wild beast that would die soon without his freedom, and snapped a collar on him and called him her pet. He was an animal, and she was merely a cruel master. So much crueler than Shizuka and Rido combined could ever be. She knew she deserved all the hate he had to give, and she would take it with a bowed head. It was her fault after all. She was just too weak. Too weak... she couldn't control any urges- she never could.

Swinging her feet over the edge of the bed, she smiled despite herself at Zero- she meant the smile to be pitying; he took it for mocking. He gritted his teeth and tossed his head to the side, now glaring at the wall, wondering why her smile was affecting him so much. When Shizuka had been alive, her smile had brought him pain- and rage. Uncomparable wrath, an urge to act on, an urge to throttle her and try to win his freedom. Her smile had affected him that way. Miki's smile, even though her fangs were still drawn, blood was staining her lips and her blue eyes held a light of knowledge- she knew what she was doing to him. Zero felt a tightness in his chest- but it wasn't anger that nearly choked him. It was, and yet it wasn't.

He wanted to get back at her, he did- make her feel what she had forced upon him. This bond was killing him slowly. Discovering that this sweet, innocent, lovely child had a dark side, a side he hated, and yet resembled; finding out his true connection to her, what he used to feel towards him- that had nearly killed him the night before when she sank her teeth into him. The only thing that kept him from offing himself was how she collapsed into his arms, vunerable and shaking, shattering and trying desparately to heal. How she had wrapped her arms around him gently and yet firmly, proclaiming him as her's, and then crying as she realized the weight of her words, crying into his chest, sobbing and nearly begging for forgiveness as he had stood frozen, looking at her with a sneer, hating her and yet pitying her. He wanted revenge- he wanted it as much as she now thirsted for his blood.

It was that urge that made him stand abruptly, pushing the chair away and sending it skittering across the floor, moving towards her those very few steps that separated them. She saw him coming, could've stopped him- but she only closed her eyes, jerking her head to the side, showing him her neck,that creamy white bridge of skin between her jaw and did not even think of resisting as she felt herself being pinned to the bed, knowing that what was about to take place wasn't what usually happened between a boy and a girl in such compromising circumstances- it wasn't even close to what would happen, but it was equally dirty. Unpure- condemnable- hell's fire in human form.

She knew what was about to happen, but it didn't stop her from crying out in pain as she felt his incisors pierce her skin with a furious passion, passion that reminded her of what lovers had, but she knew lovers were only rough in play, that they were gentle otherwise. Zero was being mean, brutish, severe with his punishment- he hadn't even licked the spot he'd bite to soften it and save her a pinprick or two of pain. He was not- NOT- gentle; he wasn't there to be sweet; he wanted revenge in cold blood. If he had been her lover, she'd be punishing him- pushing him away, rejecting any advances. She was too young for lovers, true- the thought didn't even appeal to her, until now as she thought of it. Zero would never be her lover- only her dog, grudgingly loyal and willing to bite.

Miki cried out again, half in pain, half in a maschostic pleasure. How else could she describe the pleasure she was getting by a mere lowly heathen devouring her blood? Her pure untainted blood, no less. She knew that Zero would soon be healed for a while, and that she could then feed from him, but she'd have to be patient.

She was fine with that for now, now as her fingers gripped at the sheets of the bed that smelled like the man-the boy, in all reality- who was trying to kill her now. Now, as she nearly screamed, tears clouding her eyes; now, as her delicate skin was being bruised and mangled by multiple bites- unnessecary bites, but bites that were made to pain her. Now, as she thrashed under him, her dishevelled hair getting in her eyes, keeping her from looking down at him as she arched her throat more for his conveniance, accepting her punishment.

Her heart was straining against her chest, thumping wildly; surely he heard it as much as she did- how was he not hearing it? It sounded so loud to her, guilt and perhaps another emotion magnifying it for her sake, reminding her that she did really have a heart. When he had finished, sitting up and rolling up onto his feet from there smoothly, with no effort, she slowly raised herself to sitting, feeling slightly weak. She straightened her nightgown, reclaiming the sleeves from their resting place around her shoulders, looking at him, biting her lip, licking the blood that still clung to didn't look at her, shocked at how she had tasted.

Sweet. . He wanted her now- he didn't want to want her. He knew that with the bond between them, it was a bit understandable- but for a bond like this to form, it only required one creature such as them to desire the other- it didn't have to be a mutual thing. And here he was, wanting her blood as much as she desired his. And not only her blood- he desired seeing her as she had been when he tried taking his revenge- submissive, flushed with pleasure and pain, totally and completely his. He finally focused on what was going on in reality as he felt a tiny trembling hand slipping into his, a warm body leaning against his back, tears soaking through his shirt.

"Zero...Zero." He heard Miki's words, her voice thick with tears, shaking with fear, could feel the grip of her hand. "Zero...Zero... Forgive me. Forgive me. Please. Please. _Please!_" She was now sobbing hard, his shirt sticking to his back due to the moisture enmating from her eyes.

He didn't look at her- lest he be overtaken by an urge, lest he see her crying and he discovered that she was beautiful like that- as he said slowly, "I can't forgive you. I'll never forgive you. But, since you are my new master, I will serve you. I will protect you, but only because its the only way for me to live now." He lied to her- the first sentance had been at least. He meant what he said about serving her. He depended on her safety; he wanted to ensure her safety. Not for his sake, not even for his urges' sake- for her sake. She was scared- he felt that; he sensed it. What she had to fear, he had no idea; it could've been anything. But he wanted to protect her. With his last breath, he would.

Zero promised himself that as he finally turned to Miki and patted her head, letting her hand slip through his grip, her pale slim fingers becoming cold as they slid past his warm hand, both knowing that they weren't equal, that they were of different castes- that this bond would be shattered. Neither of them could protect that.


	7. Questioned bond

"Miki, you do know what needs to be done, don't you?"

Kaien Cross peered over his bifocals at her as she stood before his desk, ashamed, head bent prostrate, hands folded in her lap. Kaien ignored the presence in the doorway, the presence of Zero, who stood leaning on the frame as he glared at the headmaster seemingly, his eyes flickering to Miki every so often, protectively. Kaien had a sense there was more than met the eye when it came to Kiryu's reasons for standing there. When the pair had come in originally, Kaien had been prepared to shoo Zero out... but then Zero had given him ** the look **and Cross dare not violate **the look.**

Still, he had a sinking feeling, especially after seeing the look of devotion- grudging, but devotion nonetheless- Zero was giving the "princess" as many called the ebony-haired child before him. He had no doubt that would be a nickname that would stick, especially in her new dorms, among others like her.

"Miki, I've already transferred you to the Night Class. At this moment, your belongings are being sent to your new room, so you need not go back to the Sun dorms. I have your uniform and class schedule right here."

Their reactions were nearly simultaneous- she gasped and bit back tears, he tore a chunk out of the doorframe. Why once cool and collected Zero had a reaction worse than the actual transfer student was almost beyond Kaien- but he now knew what he had suspected, especially when he saw the auburn tint in both of their eyes, reflecting off of each pair of eyes as they glanced at each other, the original source almost undistinguishable. He nearly didn't catch it, but saw Miki raise her finger to Zero, as if to bid him still, mouthing something in ludling to him. The youth replied with a curt nod, turning back to Cross, and if it wasn't for the baring of teeth, Kaien would've sworn that Zero looked dazed, intoxicated. Miki was having an effect on him, or it was more. So much more.

"I understand, sir." His adopted daughter's words, trembling as they plopped into the tensely thick air from her lips, brought him from his musings with a jerk. He cleared his throat, giving Miki time to collect herself. "I'll... get changed out of this, I suppose." She gestured to her uniform, both of them, each colored ironically in her opinion- black, the color of sin, for the human prey; white, hue of purity and saints, given to the sinners. She turned, giving Zero a significant look as she exited for the bathroom- Kaien just hoped it wasn't the cue for Zero to kill him. The headmaster sighed with obvious relief as Zero merely resumed the empty space of his partner."So, Zero..."

Kiryu's head shot up from his gazing at his wrist, glaring as Cross asked, "Care to tell me what's going on between you and Miki?"

"What does it look like, sir?" Zero's jaw was tightening, and from experience, his foster father knew that was not a good sign.

"Well, it looks like there's some sort of ...**bond**.. shall we say... forming between you two. Or perhaps, formed is the proper tense?" The caretaker looked over his spectacles at the teenager,and was almost relieved and shocked when he saw the glimmer of panic beneath Zero's facade of "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Come, come, Zero- you know exactly what I'm speaking of. The ludling, the hand gestures, the eye color, the obvious superiority she has over you; it's very much like that of a..."

Before he could finish, he found himself elevated, and pinned against the wall by the front of his shirt. "Don't say it. It is nothing like that. You don't know what you're talking about." The boy hissed, challenging his father figure to contradict him.

"He is half right, Papa. It **is **nothing like that. No, it's much simpler..." Kaien Cross was never a religious man,but he thanked whatever gods that had decided to save him via interference of Miki. She stood now besides Zero, giving him a pleading look to put the frazzled man down, to which he complied, grudgingly. Hooking her now ivory uniform clad arms with both males, she smiled at Kaien, murmuring, "Me and Zero have a bond, sir, yes- but it's romantic. That's where you're wrong, Papa."

Both Kaien and Zero had a look of surprise, but Zero was able to remove his shock by Miki's glare- Kaien was still groping for words. "Well, that's... that's..." Miki laughed, releasing the headmaster's arm, looking to the silver-haired boy she had just called her inamorato, raising her eyebrows as a shrug she could not express in current company. "If there's anything else, sir, please just have Yuki come by to tell me. I need to go now- we both do- patrol and classes, y'know!"

As Miki whisked Zero off, Kaien turned to Kaname, an eavesdropper that only the adult knew about. "What does it seem to you, Kaname?"

Kaname was glancing at the retreating figures from the seated window, a sad smile curling his mouth. "It is best that you did what you did, Headmaster. Miki needs to be looked after- after all, she is one of my kind." He sighed, turning and bestowing a heavy look on the former hunter. " Though she once was a hunter, and she has her- at least- aristocratic powers, she won't be able to fight off the looming threat I fear she may face sooner than later..."

"You can't mean... Rido?" The stunned man took the Kuran's head inclination as affirmation. "But he's... he's..."

"We can't be so sure. After all, he was strong... and I was young... Miki resembles the females in my family almost too much... I fear that if I don't investigate further into her past... she'll be a target."

Kaname turned to go, only pausing as his headmaster asked, "What of Zero?" He smiled, answering, "They have a bond, stronger than love; you were right. He is her's now."

_Let us hope he will be strong enough for what is to come..._


End file.
